He Didn't
by Mayo-Chin
Summary: maybe if he didn't wait, it would have never gotten this hard.
1. Chapter 1

He didn't realize that by the time he gathered enough strength to confess his feelings was the exact same time she decided to give up her love not wanting to be always ignored.

_Its funny how love works. One minute you're soaring through the skies and the next you're falling into a dark pit not knowing when you'll reach rock bottom. But sometimes that's the exact time you realize who truly cares, for when the love bird comes to steal you away and fly you high into the sky they'll be right there on the ground running and jumping preparing to catch you when the bird ungraciously drops you. And if they were to miss, they'll be there jumping in after you fall through the dark pit ready and willing to help you up whenever you need a hand. They are what love truly represents._

Maybe if he had looked harder he would've seen her fed up face whenever he turn his back on her. Maybe if she waited a bit longer before walking away from his back she would see him glace over his shoulder and watch her turn down the road. Or maybe it was just fate and her sick twisted game of making these two suffer more then they need to.

But they were always there, always beside each other. When one falls, the other one stands in his/her place. When one breaks, the other mends. When one loses apart of themselves the other goes out of their way to find it again.

"Why should I care? Why should give my heart to someone who not once, not twice, but every single DAMN time turned from me. I waited so long for you…I waited everyday, every night, and every waking moment for you to tell me that I mean something to you. I gave up on you…I just couldn't take another moment wondering if there was a place for me in your heart. If you opened your heart earlier, maybe…it wouldn't have been like this. I still love you Neji, but I just can't wait." And with that she jumped high into the treetops getting away as fast as possible.

He stretched he arms out and spreads his palm wide open in hopes of catching her, but his feet are planted firmly on the ground removing to budge, as if it was telling him, _don't go. Let her run._

"Tenten…" and there is nothing but the wind hollowing and a single tear rolling off his face…

* * *

to be continued… : 


	2. Chapter 2

"My name is Tenten. And that is all I'll ever be. My name is my meaning that separates me from the world." She recites this over and over again like a broken record. It flows out of her mouth and her tone matches the rhythm of the sky banging as the thunder god cries. "My name is Tenten, this is who I'll ever be." Ahe now stands at the Hokage's tower awaiting her orders. There's no turning around, she had accepted her fate, her reality and her thoughts.

"Understand Tenten, your leaving behind a duty for another. This mission spans for over 3 years, would you accept, this is your last chance to back down." Tsunade speaks slow, soft and smooth. Her voice and suggestion rings in Tenten's ears.

"I'm nothing but a mere kunoichi. There is nothing left here to make me regret but the voice of disappointment that bellows to me. I won't step down, this is for Kohona." _As well as myself…_

"Neji, she's leaving, she's not coming back until at LEAST 4 years later. Go talk to her Neji she needs to know. We have eyes, we can see that you love her just as much as she loves you, so run Neji run and find her all over again." Lee may be stupid at times, but not dense. He understands the pain his teammates feel. He does this to help. _I hope you still believe in the good side of fate Neji and I hope you still believe in him no matter what Tenten. _

"Tenten!" he's by the bridge and she's just outside, she's so close, but she seems so far.

She turns, shocked and speechless, just barely manages to utter out… "N-N-Neji!" She wonders why he's here, she's too tired to hear anymore of his reasons.

"Tenten…wait for me, wait for me and give me a second chance. Please? I love you with all my heart." He prays, he prays she would oblige, she is his angel, and he's nothing but a mere mortal.

"Oh Neji…my heart is telling me to accept…but I can't. I know this is hurting me but I've already waited for so long, I've waited since we were 12. I was always there, willing to give you everything, and more. I gave you all the chances in the world, but I can't let myself get hurt anymore. I'm sorry, if you love me, wait for me and show me you'll do anything to get me back." And with that, she turns and disappears, he's left there, willing and waiting for her. He's nothing now, not even a mortal, but a lost spirit, drifting in and out of the edges of reality.


	3. Chapter 3

3 years passed, each day went by as quickly as it came. Each day in the span the allowed 3 years, Neji sat there by the tree in the training grounds. He sat there every day, through rain, through shine, day to night. He'd write letters to someone who wasn't even there each and everyday. The girls wonder what had become of _their_ Neji-kun.

She sent something to him once. Something that shattered him. Something that made him realize that she meant the world to him.

_Don't wait for me. You never did before. So why start now._

_ -Tenten._

He knows why he waits. But she does not. _I wait for you not because I want to. I wait for you because I need to. _That is his reason that was always the reason.

Tenten is said to return today before nightfall. And he waits by the bridge and he waits to see her and her squad to appear by the gates. As the sun begins to set, 4 figures are seen walking towards the village. One figure stops and pauses, as if she was finding something, and she turns to his direction, it seems as though she has found what she was looking for. The other three figures jump away and towards the Hokage's building as she walks towards him.

"Tenten…"

"Neji. Why are you here?"

"I was waiting for you."

"I thought you read my letter Neji." He cringes. She sneers, and continues, "then again, you could have ignored it, like you've ignored me."

He grabs her wrist in one fluid motion. "I never ignored you."

She turns with tears in her eyes, her head down and a sob can be heard. "Yes you did. You've ignored me every time after training. You were never there to chase away my fears. You know I'd do anything for you, and yet you never seem to care. So isn't that enough reasons to say that you've ignored me?"

"No. No. No. This is wrong. This is all wrong. I never meant to ignore you. I never meant to hurt you the way I did. If I can I'd go back in time to cherish everything I had with you. I'll do this because I love you."

"I can't take you word for it. But I can try. I believe you waited for me. But I'd admit, I'm still in love with you. And if I were to tell you I never once regretted saying all those harsh things to you, I'd be lying. I decided the day before I came back, I decided that if you really have waited for me, I could give you another chance. So, the question now is, do you want this?"

"More then anything in the world Tenten, more then anything in the world."

And it wouldn't even take a complete moron to figure out the ending to this love story because simply, there is none.

_If the world was to fall,_

_I'll be your glorifying hero_

_And hold it up for you,_

_Until you can stand be here with me_

_To share the burden and the pain_

_And be my everything._


End file.
